Emotion
by Midnight Star and DragonFire
Summary: A story 'bout Harry and the girl he loves, quidditch and mostly emotion...never written this kind of fic b4....pls r/r, means A LOT!!! Sub plots w/ Herm/Ron, Lavender and a new kid....


I am in no way related to J.K.Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishers or things like that.   
DO NOT COPY or reproduce any of the text/ideas in this story.   
Please r/r, means a lot...this is a weirdish story 4 ...never written one like this before...wanna know whether it's good or not...  
THANX!   
Oh, yeah, it's REALLY long....sorry!  
  
Okie, before you read this story, here's what happened in Year 4: Ron and Hermione have been going out on and off. They had a HUGE fight before the end of the year (because Hermione saw Ron staring rather adoringly at Lavender Brown and talking to her after class) and haven't seen or spoken to each other since. Ginny keeps trying to get Harry's attention, but Harry's been caught up with Icicle and Cho Chang. Cho had to leave the school and they said a sombre goodbye. They decided to be 'just friends'. Sirius Black's name is cleared and Harry goes to live with him.   
Start of Year 5:   
  
"Harry! Harry! Over here!" Hermione Granger waved frantically.   
"Hermione!" Harry shouted, trying to be heard over the hustle of Diagon Alley. "How've your vacations been?" Hedwig nestled into Hermione's hair and Hermione gave her a rub.   
"Great! I went to Rome! The Parthenon! Can you imagine the amount of things I learned-…" She stopped and almost blushed. "Oh, well, that's not important." Harry's eyes opened wide with surprise. "How was vacation with Sirius?"   
"Wonderful! He's been telling me stories about Azkaban. They give you nightmares- hey! Look, there's Ron!"  
"Ron?" Hermione gasped and patted her hair. She started to blush slightly and bit her lip. Harry tried to hide his smirk.  
"Harry! Hermione…" Ron gave Harry a friendly punch, patted Hedwig and stopped and looked at Hermione, who turned her head away. He shook his head and turned back to Harry. "Come on Harry, do you have any idea how late it is. We're going to be late!" Ron turned and started to run towards the Leaky Cauldron. "By the way Harry, Ginny still hasn't gotten over you…but she's uh, um…I mean to say- she's changed. A lot."   
Harry started to blush and cleared his throat. "Yes, well-…" He stopped. In front of the Leaky Cauldron was a girl who was unmistakably Ginny Weasley. But she was really changed! This Ginny Weasley was tall and no longer trembling. She smiled shyly as Harry looked at her. Harry swallowed. "Well…Ron…she's…she's…"   
"Beautiful." Hermione completed. Harry blushed a deeper red. "You know Harry, it's really time you got over Cho Chang…I mean, she hasn't even sent you an Owl or anything…" Hermione said, gently.  
"She will! She's just busy, that's all! Besides, I am 'over her', I mean, we're going to be just friends." Harry said, defensively. Hermione shrugged and looked at Ron for support. Their eyes met and both looked away instantly, embarrassed. Harry, looking on, made a strangled sort of noise. "Let's go!"  
Finally, Hogwarts! Harry, Ron and Hermione stood near the entrance to the Great Hall. The Sorting had just begun and they looked on, each remembering the feeling when they were sorted. At the end, Professor McGonagall stood up and walked to the centre of the room.  
"Now, we have a transfer student. From Wolflane. He will need to be sorted too, but he's in his Fifth Year. Darrel McNamara!" A tall, handsome boy with blue eyes walked seemingly confidently to the stool. But as he sat down, his eyes flickered, belying his nervousness. As he put on the hat, almost every girl in Year Five could be seen crossing her fingers and exchanging glanced with friends.  
Hermione Granger was the only girl seemingly unaffected by this. She didn't have a female friend to giggle with…but her fingers were crossed behind her back. The hat took a few more minutes and finally said loudly.  
"Gryffindor!" The Gryffindor table cheered and Hermione even smiled. Ron looked at Hermione's face and glared at Darrel. He quickly sat down with his fellow Gryffindors.  
"Hello, students and teachers, welcome to Hogwarts. I hope you will be very happy here, and learn something too. If you have any problems come to me. I have only one more thing to say, blue elves and Bolivian bistros!"  
"Good old Dumbledore!" Harry shouted to Ron and Hermione as clapping broke out. No-one answered and he looked at them.   
They were both staring at something, but with vividly different expressions on their faces. He followed their glances to Darrel McNamara and gave a sigh. He looked at the Slytherin table. They were all sitting hunched up and whispering…and the one in the centre of it all was Draco Malfoy. Harry sighed again and muttered under his breath.  
"This is going a most wonderful year, what with Hermione, Ron and Darrel and the Slytherin's already up to no good." He looked at the Ravenclaw table. Everyone was looking at the Slytherin's with grave expressions.   
One girl looked Harry's way and Harry couldn't look away. Their eyes were locked.   
She had deep turquoise coloured eyes that were almond shaped, tanned skin and long black hair. She seemed to gaze deeply into him. He shivered slightly. He had the feeling she could see inside of him. All his secrets…  
One of her friends tapped her shoulder and whispered something and with one last, intense glance, she looked away. Harry felt weak in the knees and turned to Hermione.  
"H-…Hermione…" She looked away from Darrel. "Who's that…that girl at the Ravenclaw table. The one with turquoise eyes and black hair?" Hermione looked at Harry's face and smiled.  
"Bye-bye Ginny and Cho Chang, eh? You boys are all alike." She spoke the last sentence rather bitterly and Harry was taken aback.   
"Well Hermione, you did tell me to get over her…" Harry said, smirking.  
"She's called Mira Carron Jacques. Her father's French and her mum's from India. She's in Year 4." She said. "I know her…she took Arithmancy with me. She's ahead of her class. Anyway, you want to be introduced?"  
"I'd love it, thanks…but Hermione, you're being so helpful. I mean-…" Harry grabbed her hand and started to shake it.  
"Listen up, Harry, I'm doing this for me. Ron would love to see Ginny hook up with you and I want Ron not to be happy. It's not fair." Hermione's face twisted with rage…but also sadness. Her unhappy eyes belied her harsh words. "Anyway. It's your choice. Just don't you dare lead Ginny on."   
"I won't, Hermione. Thank you." Harry looked back at the Ravenclaw table but Mira was gone. Harry got up and decided to go looking for her.   
He was near Moaning Myrtle's bathroom when he heard the sound of voices. Male voices, which were unmistakably Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy. Harry edged in closer to hear what they were saying.  
"Good job, Vincent. Are you sure you enchanted them right?"  
"Yeah. I said 'aeruspassius' just like you said, Draco." Vincent Crabbe replied slowly.  
"Excellent! The Gryffindors will be able to play in the match, but they'll lose! Just let them try to figure out what's happened to their precious brooms! Did you use the password I told you?"  
"Uh huh. I took the sheet you wrote it on." Draco's face twisted.  
"Idiot!" He hissed. "Where did you put it?"  
"Right next to your bed, in the dormitory!"   
"Oh, good…let's go. This way…" Harry heard the footsteps approaching him and ran in the other direction. He was in front of the library before he finally stopped and caught his breath.  
"Harry Potter, isn't it?" Mira Jacques tapped his shoulder. She was smiling.  
"Yes. Mira Carron Jacques, right?" She looked mildly impressed.  
"Yeah. I've heard a lot about you." She had a trace of French accent, but otherwise spoke perfect British.   
"I'm sorry…I sort of was staring at you in The Great Hall…" Harry said, awkwardly.  
"Well, I stared right back." They looked into each other's eyes. Harry started to flush again. Just then three Ravenclaws came clattering to the front door of the library.  
"Mira! It's past the Fourth Year lights out! What're you doing-…" Penelope Clearwater, the Head Girl said but then stopped as she saw Harry, who by now was a deep pink. "Ah. Well…since it's the first day you can, uh- stay out for another five minutes. Try and get back without um- attracting too much attention." She hurried away with the other Ravenclaws.  
"I- Harry…I'd better go, anyway. I'll get Penelope into trouble."  
"Yeah…I'll, uh, see you tomorrow?"  
"Sure! I have Arithmancy, Transfiguration and Defence Against the Dark Arts with you. By the way, who's our teacher?"  
"Sirius Black. My god-father."  
"Yes, …you got him let off, didn't you?" Harry nodded and she bit her lip. "Well, Harry, goodbye. Good luck with Quidditch." She walked quickly away.  
"Quidditch! I've got to find Ron and Hermione!" Harry ran up to Gryffindor tower, but stopped at The Fat Lady. "Oh no, I haven't got the password!" Percy Weasley, teachers' aide, came out of the picture at this particular minute. "Oh, Harry. What are you doing out so late?"  
"Percy, I'm a fifth year."  
"Oh, so you are." He still had a snooty air about him.  
"What's the password?"  
"Quidditch." Harry's eyebrows shot up. Everyone seemed obsessed about Quidditch. Percy started to leave.  
"Oh, by the way, Percy, Penelope Clearwater's near the library." Percy turned red and stuttered something before walking hastily away. "Quidditch!" Harry whispered, and climbed in.   
The decoration of the common room had changed! Everything was decorated in Red and Black, with only a few items in Gold. There were plush sofas and a few black lacquer tables. The walls were hung with deep red tapestries and awards given to Gryffindor. There was a large picture of Godric Gryffindor with his sword. The same sword that was in Harry's trunk. Dumbledore had let Harry keep the sword. His heart swelled with pride.  
He spotted Hermione at one end of the room, reading, and Ron at the other end, staring at Hermione. "Now this is going to be so easy." Harry sighed. He went up to Ron.  
"Ron, the dormitory, now!" He hissed, and Ron, surprised, got up and went. He crossed the room to Hermione.  
"Hermione, something's up. I need to tell you. In private, the boys' dorm." Hermione got up quietly and walked calmly to the boy's dorm and shut the door. After a few moments, Harry went in, too. He walked into the dorm, Hermione was crying and Ron was glaring around defiantly.   
"Look, you two. This is something serious. You're being really selfish and because of that we may lose the Quidditch match!" They both looked up quickly. Hermione dried her eyes and said at once.  
"I'm sorry Harry. We'll try to be civil. Okay…Ron?" She spat out the word like a bad taste.  
"Fine." He sounded tired. "So what's up?"  
"Now, I heard Crabbe tell Malfoy that he had cast a spell on our brooms. It was… uh, aeruspassius? And he said something about a password. Hermione? What's the spell?" Hermione had gone pale.  
"It's a spell that…that gives whoever has the right password, control over the broom. You have to say aeruscontrolyus and the password. You can control a broom from even the next country! It's also very hard to detect. Harry, we've got to find that password!" She grabbed his shoulder. "We've got to!"   
"Well, he said that he wrote it on a sheet that's next to Malfoy's bed."  
"In the Slytherin dormitory!" Ron exclaimed. "But we'd- we'd have to break in!" He sucked in his breath.  
"They could expel us for that." She sucked in her breath. "But I guess we'll have to. We need a plan." She looked at her watch. "Oh no! It's time for bed! All the boys will be coming through the door!" She squealed. "I've got to go. See you, Harry…and Ron." She turned and fled out the door. Merely a minute later the boys of Year 5 started pouring in the door.  
As Harry lay in bed that night, he puzzled his brains trying to think of a plan. He turned over, and started to think about Cho Chang. About the promise to be 'just friends'. Was Cho so wise to know that they would find other people so quickly? Harry was sure that Cho was interested in someone by now. Strangely enough, it didn't seem to bother him. He wondered about Mira Jacques…what would come out of that? And Ginny? Would she ever 'get over' him?  
He turned over again and sank into a troubled sleep. He dreamt that Icicle and Malfoy were controlling the brooms, which he and Mira were on, then Ginny screams and throws herself on Malfoy, who falls unconscious. Icicle enchants Ginny. Meanwhile the brooms land with a thud and Cho Chang suddenly appears with a boyfriend and they start to beat up Harry and Mira. Then Ron and Hermione appear and start to fight with each other about what to do. Albus Dumbledore comes out and takes away four hundred points from Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin, and Hufflepuff wins the House Cup…  
  
"…and that's what really happened in what the Muggles call World War 2."   
Professor Binns finished. Harry woke out of his trance with a start. The next lesson was Defence against the Dark Arts! And Mira would be there. Harry collected up his books quickly. He was outside class and he saw Hermione talking to Darrel McNamara. Ron didn't take History of Magic. He saw Hermione laugh and run her fingers through her hair. He shook his head and hurried to his class. He went in and saw Mira already there. Ron was sitting a seat away from her to the right and Harry slipped in gratefully between them. Mira smiled at him.   
Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy made disgusted faces. Pansy said. "Ooh, Potter, you've got another girlfriend! What would Cho, Ginny and Icicle say?"  
"Ooh, Potter, your girlfriend's a Dementor! Run, Potter!" Malfoy teased Harry about an incident which happened years ago. Mira grew deathly pale and Harry touched her shoulder lightly. Malfoy heard footsteps in the corridor and sat quickly.   
Hermione came into the class and saw Harry sitting next to Ron and Mira, with no seats nearby. She turned away with a look of hurt on her face and sat down next to Darrel. Harry cringed. He hadn't meant to hurt Hermione's feelings. The rest of the class stared at Hermione and Harry and Ron, wondering what was wrong, for they knew that Potter, Weasley and Granger were inseparable.  
Professor Black came in the door and smiled round. He was nothing like the unkempt Azkaban escapee that Harry remembered from two years ago. He gave a special smile to Harry and his friends, but looked surprised when he saw Hermione sitting far from them.   
"Now, today we're going to learn about snakes. And especially the variety Homoserpentes." He paused. "They're not quite as bad as people make out. In fact, I have a two of them and other varieties in Greenhouse 9. Now, can anyone explain what a Homoserpentes is?" Hermione's hand shot up. She may have lightened up, but she was still the smartest. "Miss Granger." Sirius Black succeeded in saying the name as if he hadn't expected it.  
"The variety Homoserpentes of snakes is not known to Muggles. These snakes have the power to turn into human beings, hence homo. They are, however, unable to speak English, and only a Parselmouth may communicate with them." Hermione glanced at Harry. "They are very rare and generally avoid meetings with human beings and live in the secrecy of their own lairs. They are renowned for their Moon Dance. This involves quick transformations into human and snake form. They worship the moon and this dance is an offering to appease the Moon Goddess. The only people who have seen this dance are now blind. The dance has been cursed by these snake-people because a Dark Wizard once witnessed the dance and murdered the snake-people performing it. Since then, whoever witnesses the dance will become blind. They also have immense hypnotising powers and have been known to bewitch Muggles and non Muggles alike."  
"Thank you Miss Granger. You've, uh, done my job rather well. Ten points to Gryffindor." He turned and started to pace the classroom. "Now, should any of you ever encounter such a snake, the counter-spell to their enchantment is quite simple…" He continued on.   
Hermione and Darrel were exchanging glances and giggles, as were Harry and Mira. Intermittently, Harry stared into space, trying to think of a good plan to stop the Slytherin's and Hermione stopped every now and then to glare at Lavender. Ron was occupied in casting baleful glances toward Hermione and Darrel and smiling at Lavender. The rest of the class was glancing all around trying to figure out what was going on.  
All in all, Professor Black seemed rather puzzled with his fifth years. They didn't seem to be paying too much attention. He assimilated what he saw and decided that there was a little inter-class drama going on. He also had the wisdom not to enter into it. He decided to leave it for a while, perhaps it would settle down.   
  
"Harry, Ron, I have a plan." Said Hermione, in a private corner of the Gryffindor common room. "Look, these Homoserpentes are supposed to be really nice- to Parselmouths!"   
"And I'm one, so?"  
"Well, we get the creature to enchant Malfoy to bring us the password sheet. Then I'll put a memory charm on him."  
"Great idea, Hermione!" Ron said. Hermione smiled but then turned away. "But…Hermione, what if they don't agree?"  
"They have to. Besides we can give them a reward. The moon dance is performed in two weeks. They'd really like to be able to perform it…but they can't in a cage. Black's captured them, but he isn't allowed to let them out of their cages. We can. And a promise from one of them has to be kept. They believe the moon goddess will punish them if they break it."  
"Wow. Shall we go tonight? Greenhouse 9?" Harry asked.  
"Yes, let's." Ron said, and Hermione nodded. "We'll need the Invisibility Cloak."  
"And the Marauders' Map. Okay, Hermione, Ron and I will meet you here at- 12 midnight. Exactly."  
"Fine."  
"Hey…you guys…what do you think about, uh, inviting Mira along?"  
"You never invited Cho." Ron commented.  
"It's okay, if you think you can trust her. I mean, if you're sure she won't tell." Harry smiled.  
"This from you, Hermione? You have become bad." Hermione gave a little smile and looked pleased. "But how will I reach her?"  
"I'll use telepathy. I took it last year, remember? What do you want to say?"  
"Mira, please meet me, Ron and Hermione outside the library at twelve. If you don't want to break any rules, just ignore this message, if you don't mind for a good cause, come along. It'll be fun. Harry."  
"Just Harry, not regards, Harry, or sincerely, Harry or even love, Harry?" "Um- n-no, just Harry." He said, quickly. Hermione smiled, muttered a spell and closed her eyes. Harry had a feeling that she had changed his message.   
"That's done. Now, let's go to bed. See you at twelve!" She smiled and walked off.   
  
"Brrrr! It's cold!" Ron commented as he got out of bed.  
"Well, it is the middle of the night!" Harry whispered. They opened the door and stole into the Common Room. Hermione was already there, clad in pyjamas and a dressing-gown.  
"Come on! It's nearly ten past! You took your sweet time!" Hermione whispered and climbed out of the portrait hole with Harry and Ron close behind. They sneaked to the library without incident. For a second, it seemed like nobody was around, but then a person came out of the shadows.  
"Mira, you came!" Harry, said, rushing up to her. She was wearing plain blue sleeveless pyjamas with a row of silver stars on the front.  
"Of course I came! I wouldn't want to miss any action. What the scoop?"   
"Slytherin's enchanted our broomsticks with the aeruspassius spell and we need to use the Homoserpentes to enchant Malfoy to bring the password to us." Mira nodded.  
"You know the charm and stuff?" Ron asked, wide eyed.  
"Uh, yeah." She turned to Harry. "And you can ask the snake-people because you're a Parselmouth! Let's move!"   
"Wait, let me check something." Harry said, and brought out the Marauders' Map. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" The figures appeared on the map and Harry checked that all the teachers were in their beds.  
"The Marauders' Map!" Mira exclaimed.  
"You know about it?" Hermione asked, puzzled.  
"My- I, Remus Lupin's my step-uncle. My grandmother married twice."  
"We'd better move." Ron said. They crept as silently to the greenhouses.  
"Hey, I think this is it. I can't really see in the dark, I'll do a spell." Ron said and lifted his wand. Mira grabbed his hand.  
"No! They'll see the light from the towers!"  
"Okay, me and Ron will go in first and check it out. You two keep watch till we call." Hermione and Mira nodded. Ron and Harry went inside.  
Hermione and Mira heard a muffled gasp and the sounds of a fight. There was a strangled sort of noise and suddenly Ron appeared, supporting Harry, who seemed to be wincing.  
Hermione flew at them and hugged both Harry and Ron. "You're okay!" She said and let go. Ron's neck had turned pink.  
"What happened, did it bite you?" Mira asked.  
"No…it was something else. A huge plant. There was a name tag-…Urtica something or other." Harry gasped.  
"Oh, this must be Greenhouse 8! Urtica is the stinging nettle family. Professor Sprout is doing experiments on one."  
"Can you stop it, this burning?"  
"It'll be gone in a minute, Harry." Mira said. "Come on, we'd better finish. It's getting late." The trudged to Greenhouse 9 and even risked a light. It was better that risking a life.  
"You guys stay out here and keep watch, like before." Ron said.  
"Not this time, no way!" Hermione exclaimed. Harry shrugged and they all slipped into Greenhouse 9. It was a veritable menagerie of snakes.   
"Over here!" Mira said, softly. They all crowded round a large cage with two black snakes in it. The snakes had an amethyst coloured line going down their bodies.  
Harry looked the snake in the eye. He opened his mouth and Mira, Hermione and Ron heard a long hiss.  
"Hello. What's your name?" The snake perked up and looked back at him.  
"A Parselmouth? With a lightning scar…you must be Harry Potter. My name is Syllia." The snake said, in a feminine voice.  
"You know of me?"  
"We sometimes use our human-forms to keep with the news."  
"I need your help."  
"Of course."  
"I need you to enchant someone. Draco Malfoy, into bringing us the passwords he used when he enchanted our brooms."  
"Ah…but, Harry, we are risking a lot. If anyone finds out, we will be killed." The other snake said, in a male voice. "I am Sirrik."  
"If you help, I am willing to set you free to perform the Moon Dance." The snakes seemed to be pondering.  
"We will help, Harry Potter. Upon our word we won't try and escape. When shall we do this deed?" Syllia asked.  
"I will free you now. Malfoy will come out of his common room in the morning. Enchant him then and make him give you the paper. I will be there to perform a Memory Charm and set you back in your cages."  
"If this does not work?" Sirrik asked. "I will say I threatened you to do this. Thank you, Syllia, Sirrik. Oh, these are my friends, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Mira Jacques."  
"We are pleased to meet them. Our regards." Harry opened the door and the snakes slithered out quickly.   
Harry turned back. His three friends looked a little afraid. "They say that they're pleased to meet you, and their regards. They knew me."  
Mira recovered first. "Cool. It was kind of odd…all that hissing…" She glanced at her watch. "It's three in the morning! Let's hurry!" They scurried to the school quickly.  
"Mira, remember, outside the Slytherin common room after the bell." Harry said, as they parted at the library. It was dark and Harry took Mira's hand. She smiled and pecked him on the cheek quickly.  
"Goodbye Harry!" She whispered. Harry walked back to his common room and gave the password to a very annoyed Fat Lady. "Mischief managed!" He said and tapped the map. He lay in bed, and just before he fell asleep, touched his cheek.  
  
"Have you already enchanted him, Sirrik?" Harry asked in Parsel, yawning widely.  
"Yes. He should be coming right now…we had a little trouble. He tried to perform a counter-spell. It didn't work though." Sirrik replied. Harry turned to his friends.  
"Look, there he is!"  
Malfoy was coming toward them, a little glassy eyed but otherwise normal. He looked like he was fighting his enchantment. He was writhing and shaking. He took a piece of paper from his pocket and outstretched his hand. Syllia suddenly started to glow. She started becoming bigger and suddenly turned into a human form. She was wearing a black snakeskin skirt and shirt. Her body was curved and tall like a snakes'. She took the paper from Malfoy and looked at Harry. She had jet black eyes, which were disconcerting on her pale face, she handed him the note.. He nodded and Syllia closed her eyes and transformed back into a snake. Harry picked up Sirrik and Syllia and placed them in a small box. "Sorry." He whispered to the snakes. Malfoy lost that glassy look.   
"Potter! You sent that snake to enchant me, didn't you? I'm going to tell the whole school! You'll be expelled for sure." He turned and started to storm off.  
"Wait a second, Draco!" Mira stepped forward. She put a hand behind her back. "Draco, you won't tell on me, will you? Please, I'm not with Potter. Him and his friends made me go with them." She looked at Malfoy.   
He had turned and was looking at her. Harry looked aghast. Mira twitched her fingers behind her back. "Obliviate thirty minutes!" Hermione gasped, pointing her wand at him. "Let's get out of here!" They ran down the corridors and took a short cut to the outside of the school.   
"Look, I'll go, they'll notice if we're all gone." Harry said. "The password's…Dementor. Fix the brooms, you need to stay to do it."  
"Okay. That's true." Mira agreed reluctantly, suppressing a yawn. Hermione and Ron nodded. Hermione said, quickly "aeruspassius dementor, aeruspassius nil!" They wended their way back to school and tried to appear nonchalant as they ate their breakfasts.  
In the middle of breakfast, Mira came over from the Ravenclaw table. "Quel horreur! He's not back yet and I'm so worried." She said to Hermione and Ron, united in their worry for Harry. Mira started to mutter in French again. "Mira! Mira, we don't understand French."  
"Oh, sorry. It's just a habit, when I'm worried. Mon cher Harry! What if something's happened to him? Maybe he's in trouble? Do you think the snakes have eaten him?"   
"Stop worrying, Mira. He'll be fine." Hermione said, convincing no-one, not even herself.  
Just as they were getting ready for class, Harry appeared. "Hey, sorry it took so long. I got into a really long conversation and I think I dozed off…" He yawned.  
"Come on, we have Transfiguration, and the ex-fifth years' say that McGonagall turned into an ogre every time they had a lesson." Hermione said, smiling. They hurried to Professor McGonagall's classroom and found that they were the first ones there. Harry and Mira sat down quickly, next to each other, Ron sat next to Harry and Hermione sat next to Mira. Darrel McNamara came in and smiled at Hermione. He walked towards her and she stood up and held his hand.  
"Harry, Mira, Ron, this is Darrel McNamara. Darrel, these are my best friends…" "Hi, I 'aven't really 'ad a chance to meet ye, but Hermione's already told me about all of ye."   
"You have a Scottish accent!" Mira said. "Wow, are you Scottish?"  
"Ye caught me there!"  
"Ever see any nymphs?" Harry asked.  
"Yes, of c'urse! My family used tae know some. Right sprightly little things!" Only Ron kept silent.   
"How come you're at Hogwarts?" Ron asked.  
"My family's allus wanted someone at Hogwarts. It's got such a good name in th' wiz'erding world, ye know!" Darrel took a seat next to Hermione.   
Lavender sauntered in and sat next to Ron, smiling good-naturedly around. She whispered something in Ron's ear and he laughed. Hermione had gone a little stiff. She turned and started chatting to Darrel. Harry took Mira's hand. He felt a line and looked at it. It was a deep red scar.  
"Mira, what's that?"  
"Oh, it's just a scar. I've had it since I was little." She said, quickly.  
"Oh." Harry lowered his voice and whispered. "Mira, I really like you…"  
"I really like you, too, Harry." She whispered back.  
"And…you don't have a boyfriend or any problems or anything?" Mira's eyes flickered.  
"No. I don't." Harry felt a little worried, but continued.  
"Then- then would you- be, my, uh-…"   
"Settle down, everyone!" Minerva McGonagall entered. "I don't believe that you're all fifth years! I don't think any of you have remembered anything from last year! Well! I hope for your sakes' that it comes back to you pretty fast. This is going to be a tough year!" She turned and opened a cupboard. "Right, your first assignment is to turn a pen into a butterfly…"  
  
"Harry! Come on! Quidditch meet, don't be late! New captain's going to be elected!" Fred Weasley called, after classes.   
"Just a minute!" Harry turned. "I've got to go, Mira. Tell Ron and Hermione I might not be back till late, okay? I never know with Quidditch."  
"Sure. Go get 'em!" Harry kissed her quickly and hurried off, because he was late and because he was embarrassed. Mira looked after him with a slightly bemused, but ineffably sad expression on her delicate face…  
"So, Harry, I hear you and Mira Jacques are quite a 'thing'?" George Weasley said.  
"Yeah, have you asked her to be your girlfriend yet?" Fred asked. "Hey, George, what is it about Ravenclaw girls and Gryffindor guys?"  
"I wish I knew, Fred. I mean, first Percy and Penelope, then Harry and Cho, now Harry and Mira…" George smiled. Harry tried to control the warmth in his face but failed utterly. They reached the playing field and Harry was saved further embarrassment.  
"Hello, Gryffindors." Madam Hooch said. "I'm here to select a new goalkeeper and elect a new captain, since Gordon Howes graduated last year. I've already found a great goal-keeper. Darrel!" She called, and Darrel McNamara strolled in. "Darrel McNamara, this is your team. I hope you'll welcome him warmly, Gryffindors. Now, on to more important business. I've been thinking about possible choices for captain…and I've come up with Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell or George Weasley. Year fives and below cannot be considered for captaincy, I'm sorry. Now, everyone, please write the name you think will be the best at captain. Maybe not the best at school, or maybe not your friend. Please be fair." She handed out bits of paper.   
Harry thought for a while and wrote slowly 'Angelina Johnson' on his paper. He folded it twice and handed it in to Madam Pomfrey. She opened each one, counted and re-counted the votes. "The new captain is…Angelina Johnson!" Angelina broke into a smile, but looked slightly worried, too. Everyone started to clap and Fred and George even started to chant 'Angel-in-ah! You're a win-nah!' till Madam Hooch gave them the teachers' 'shut up or else!' look.  
Angelina got up and slowly turned to face the team. "Hey, Gryffindors, I really didn't expect to be made captain. Okay, our first game in the season is in a week. It's us vs. Slytherin." Madam Hooch excused herself and left. "Now, Slytherin are the dirtiest players ever. They're going to attack us through out 'weak link', Darrel, since he's new. That's why we all have to practice with Darrel, and I mean a LOT of practice!" She was already starting to sound like Oliver Wood, the previous-previous captain who had graduated two years ago. "Harry! I want protection on you, just like last year. Team, I want the House to protect YOU as well. Harry may be the Seeker, but we need everyone. And no-one must do anything stupid, like go catch a cold or the flu, clear?" She stopped.  
"Draco Malfoy we don't need to worry about. Harry, you can handle him. And you've got a BlueFlame." She revelled in the word. "And he's only got a Firebolt 999. " Harry nodded weakly. "Now…the other people…we don't know exactly who's going to be on the team, but we do have a good idea…"  
"And, to complete, the match is in a week and I want every minute of your spare time spent practising Quidditch! Morning at 6, lunch-time, fifteen minutes to eat, then I want you down here revising strategies. I'll let you off five minutes before the end of Lunch to get you afternoon lesson things. After class you have one hour to do your homework and things like that. We practice till 9:30 p.m." There was a wholehearted groan at this, but Angelina seemed quite unruffled. "That is a half hour before lights out for Fifth Years. And nobody and I mean NOBODY will be late. Clear?" She turned away, but turned back. "By the way, I forgot to mention…WE ARE GOING TO WIN THIS GAME, GRYFFINDORS!" She yelled and the team cheered. Harry was heartened, Angelina seemed to be flourishing under the role of captain.  
But Harry was vexed too, because of the impossible practice times. Even Wood didn't drive them this hard! When would he see Mira? Or Ron and Hermione? Or Hedwig? At least they would beat the Slytherin's! They had to!  
  
"Here you go. When shall I come back to lock you in, Syllia??" Harry asked.   
"You need not. We will lock ourselves in. It is just opening the door that we cannot do. Black placed an enchantment on it." Syllia said.  
"Thank you, Harry Potter, for the kindness you have shown to us. If ever a time come when you need a snake, they will be there for you. We will make sure of it, Syllia and I." Sirrik said.   
"I hope your dance goes well. Goodbye."  
"Goodbye and thank you once more." They slithered out of their cages and Harry jogged back to the school.   
  
"Okay, people, the match is tomorrow. That means we only practice now and look over strategies in here at lunch. No evening practice. All the teachers except for Snape, that-…" Angelina called Snape a few names that made Katie Bell turn pink. "…have agreed to lessen the homework. I have a feeling Snape's going to dump bucket-loads of homework on you. Be prepared. But be sure to relax. Nothing's worse than a tense Quidditch player. Now, the Ravenclaws have agreed to play us for practice. Now…the Ravenclaw team is a surprise, and the team members had been charmed so that they couldn't tell if they were picked. It could be your best friend, worst enemy or girlfriend, even." Angelina glanced at Harry. "Here they come!"  
Alicia started to check the names off. "Clearwater, goalie, Jones, Malone, Felkham, Chasers, Derwin, Davies, Beaters, Jacques, Seeker. Davies is captain. Okay, we know about everyone except Doris Malone and Mira Jacques. Harry, Katie, Angelina and me have gotta be careful." The two captains met in the centre and smiled at each other.  
"Good luck, Davies." "Back to you Jones. Let's play Quidditch!" He screamed.   
"Mount your brooms! Three-two-one!" Madam Pomfrey blew the whistle and they were off.   
Harry shot up on his new BlueFlame. His Firebolt was kept safely in his trunk for sentimental reasons but the new BlueFlame was a birthday present from Professor Lupin (or Remus, as Harry now called him) and Sirius. Professor Lupin had recently come into a fortune by coming up with a formula to cure Werewolf and Vampire bite.  
Mira was right next to him. Harry looked at her broom. It had the same shiny black handle and dark blue mop that was on his. Mira had a BlueFlame too. They zoomed around the field, mere blurs to the rest. Harry suddenly spotted the Snitch near Alicia Spinnet's head. He zoomed in with Mira hot on his heels, but out of nowhere a Bludger sped towards him. Harry rolled over on his broom. Mira edged in closer but Alicia, seeing the Snitch, double rolled ahead of it so Mira had to go round her. The Snitch quickly glimmered away. Mira grimaced and shook her fist good-naturedly at Alicia.  
Mira whooshed up, narrowly missing Harry. Then she scrutinised an area and zoomed toward it. Harry followed quickly. Mira seemed to be headed to the bottom of the Ravenclaw goal-post. A second before she would have hit the ground she pulled up with a spectacular triple-twist. The two teachers' applauded and Mira blushed visibly, which was a tough job because of her dark skin. (You're so lucky you don't turn red!" Harry had said many times)   
Suddenly, Harry spotted the Snitch and focused on it. It was right near Derwin, the Ravenclaw Beater's head. He put on a burst of speed. Mira was right next to him, grinning. The next second she was spinning out of control. Harry abandoned the Snitch and whooshed to catch Mira. He was too late, and reached the ground a second after Mira.   
She was lying, face up, on the Quidditch pitch. She looked pale. Harry felt a coldness creeping up him. Then, suddenly, he felt…nothing. A curious emptiness. Mira awoke with a start. Feeling returned to Harry's body. His toes and fingertips tingled. Mira gasped. By now Madam Hooch had stopped the game, the two teachers and some players were rushing over.  
Mira quickly got up. "Mira! Careful, have you hurt yourself?" Harry touched Mira's shoulder. She edged away.   
"I- I must." She said and started to walk towards the Forbidden Forest. Harry grabbed her shoulders.   
"Mira, what's wrong? Sit down, please!" Harry said. She wrenched his arms from her shoulders and gave him a surprisingly strong push on the chest. As Harry fell gently to the grass, Mira was already halfway to the Forbidden Forest. She stumbled but carried on. She disappeared out of view.   
"Sirius! Professor! She's-…gone." Harry gasped out.  
"Where? Why? Did she tell you?" Sirius asked.  
"She just said, 'I must'." Harry gathered his wits. "Maybe we should leave her alone for a bit. She's just had a bad fall and maybe there's something else the matter. I think she wants to be by herself."  
"Yes…look, Harry, it's not safe in the Forbidden Forest! If she's not back by lunch, we're going after her." McGonagall said. "Well, aren't you going to keep practising?"  
Harry practised many times after that but his heart wasn't in it. He kept thinking of Mira. Angelina was hopping with frustration and Professor McGonagall was slumped over a chair. Professor Black seemed very preoccupied and the teams were badly jarred after Mira's fall and disappearance. Altogether it was a sombre crowd that morning.  
"GRYFFINDORS! Over here!" Angelina boomed. "Look, you guys are playing like a bunch of Muggles! No more practice, lest you forget even more Quidditch! Come on, it'll be okay! We're going to beat Slytherin! I'll show you why!" Angelina trudged purposefully to the Entrance Hall and through the Great Hall. Inside was every single Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff house-member. Everyone hated Slytherin because the school had found out about Malfoy enchanting the Gryffindor brooms. Every house felt that it could have been their brooms that were enchanted. They spoke nothing of the de-enchantment to the Slytherins and every Slytherin was walking around with superior smiles on their faces. The Quidditch team hadn't even bothered to practice!  
Everyone was making Red flags, Lion banners, Red badges and huge posters. There was a huge banner saying 'Go Gryffindor!' and there was one banner which read 'Slytherin- can never win- It's Gryffindor- For sure!'. Angelina stood in front of the people with a triumphant look on her face. "Gryffindors! THIS! THIS! THIS is why we're going to win!" She yelled "GRYFFINDOR!" And punched her fist in front of her and the others in the room joined her. Harry felt his heart lift and for one brief second, didn't worry about Mira.  
  
At lunch-time, Harry was pacing the Great Hall with increasing frequency as time wore on. "Where could she be?" He asked Ron and Hermione over and over again. They had listened to his extraordinary tale with mounting disbelief.  
"She'll come, don't worry." Ron said unconvincingly. The doors to the Great Hall opened and Mira came in. She had bandages around her palms and looked unearthly pale. Sirius Black accosted her quickly, as did several other Ravenclaws. She spoke to them for a minute or two, all the while her eyes on Harry. She smiled wanly and walked over.  
Her body seemed weightless and frail. She stopped a foot away from Harry and stumbled. Harry rushed forward and caught her. He eased her into a chair.  
"Mira…I'm so glad you're back…" Harry said, holding Mira's cloth-enswathed hand. "What happened- your hand?"  
"I cut it." She looked down. "Harry, I was just in shock, I needed to be alone for a while. And I've had some uh, bad- abysmally bad- news from home."  
"What's wrong?"  
"Everything. Don't worry, I can deal with it. I'm so sorry, I must have totally ruined your Quidditch practice!"  
"You're worth it." Harry screwed up his face. "Mira, I tried before, but I never really finished saying this. Do you want to- be my, uh, girlfriend?" He looked at her face, again there was that momentary flicker in her eyes before she looked up.  
"Yes. Yes, Harry, I would love to be your girlfriend." She smiled and Harry smiled back.  
"Harry! Oh, Harry, you're all right! He's all right!" Angelina Johnson grabbed him in a huge hug. "Oh, good, wonderful!" She said, breathlessly. "I thought- that the Slytherin's had got you. You didn't turn up for- for strategy meet- Oh, Mira, you're back! Oh, Harry, you're okay! Come on, we have to go! Bye Mira!" She dragged Harry all the way to the Quidditch field. The rest of the team gave a huge cheer when they saw Harry- especially since he was all in one piece.  
"Okay! Now, we think the Slytherins are going to…" Angelina droned on and on. She finally glanced at her watch. "Oops! Time to go, people! See you in the Common Room!"  
Harry jogged up to the school. "Mira! There you are-…"  
"Harry. I-…come here." They walked up to Ravenclaw Tower and they paused outside the Ravenclaw entrance. "Wait here." She murmured her password and climbed in. Harry looked around. The entrance Knight didn't seem to pleased about him. Within a minute, Mira came out. She pushed her head out and propelled herself forward, but jerked. She got one foot on the floor and one inside. Harry supported her and she pulled her leg out.  
"Easy, Mira, you've just had a bad fall!" Mira looked serious. "What?"  
"Look, Harry, this is my good luck charm. It's very important. You'll find out later…" She breathed in. "Anyway, here it is. She pressed a palm sized warm stone into his hand. Harry brought it closer to his eye and looked inside. He gasped.  
Inside was a myriad of swirling colours, caught in a vivid smoke. The colours in some parts were angry and in some parts they were tranquil…each place he looked denoted a different feeling. "I- I can't take this, it's so beautiful!"  
"And so hateful to me." She said, cryptically. "Keep it, it'll bring you luck. Go on to your Common Room and get some rest."  
"See you, M." Harry shortened her name and tucked the stone into his pocket. She nodded tiredly and hoisted herself into the hole.  
  
"Hello everyone! Lee Jordan here, commentating on this first match of the season. Here come the Gryffindors! Parlay to the Slytherins, everyone out here's wearing red and waving lions. The only change to the Gryffindor team is that Darrel McNamara has filled in the goalie's post and Angelina Johnson is the new captain. Here come the Slytherin's. They've gone with their usual team, with no significant change. Marcus Flint leading as usual. The Slytherin fans are a small but fanatic- I mean , intense bunch, wearing green and cheering boisterously- I mean, loudly." Jordan kept glancing furtively at Professor McGonagall.  
"Keep it clean, Lee." She said, and Lee gave a watery smile.  
"Captains- shake hands!" Madam Hooch shrilled. Angelina barely touched Marcus Flints' hand and drew away. She pretended to wipe her hand off and the Reds cheered. Madam Hooch didn't look too pleased and Flint was death-staring a cool Angelina. "Mount your brooms!" Madam Hooch lifted her whistle. "Three- two-…" The crowds counted with her. "- one!" As Madam Hooch blew her whistle, the houses gave an elongated cheer.  
"And Slytherin's got possession of the Quaffle! Ooh! Nice Bludger-work by Fred Weasley, Warrington of Slytherin triple rolls and loses the Quaffle. Caught by- Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor. She's nearing the Slytherin goal-posts- arrgh a Bludger! She loses it to- Montague of Slytherin! Montague's roaring to the Gryffindor goal-posts. New goalie here, Darrel McNamara. We don't know how good he is. Montague shoots- and McNamara saves it! Excellent broom-work by McNamara. Katie Bell has the Quaffle and is hovering near the Slytherin posts. Bludger! Watch out! She ducks, the Weasleys are hovering around Katie as she- she SCORES! Ten-Zero to Gryffindor! The crowd's going wild. Derrick's shooting a Bludger- at McNamara! He ducks! THAT WASN'T FAIR, YOU DIRTY SCUMBAG!"  
"JORDAN!"  
"It's true, Professor! Madam Hooch is rushing up to them! Give 'em a penalty! Yes! It's a Gryffindor , Angelina's taking it- She scores! YES! TWENTY- Zero to Gryffindor! Behind you Angelina! Derrick of Slytherin collides with Johnson!"  
Harry zoomed away from Lee's rather biased commentary and looked for the Snitch. It hadn't appeared for quite a while and Malfoy was looking rather pale, as were the other Slytherin's. They were shooting puzzled glances at each other, probably wondering why their control spell wasn't working.  
The Snitch! Harry was sure he had seen it! There it was, near Angelina's feet! Harry checked what Malfoy was doing…good he was staring at the Slytherin end, Alicia Spinnet had the Quaffle. Harry zoomed downwards, almost knocking a surprised Angelina off her broom. He turned around and there was Malfoy.  
"You'll never win, Potter!" He shouted, maniacally. Harry could faintly hear Lee Jordan's' commentary. Draco flew below Harry and spun upwards, forcing him to change direction. The Snitch disappeared and there were groans from the Gryffindor supporters. Harry veered his broom in a circle around Malfoy, knocking him off balance. "You can try! But you'll NEVER win!" Malfoy laughed.   
"Oh yes I will, Malfoy!"  
"Potter and Malfoy seem to be engaged in a sort of verbal and physical battle. I can see Malfoy shouting something and Potter shouting back but I can't make out the words. Malfoy does a double twist and dives down. Potter follows- they're neck and neck! They're merely a foot from the ground! Potter swerves in front of Malfoy, makes a beautiful turn on his BlueFlame and zooms upward. Malfoy hits the dirt! HA! SERVES YOU RIGHT! I mean, oh, how awful." Jordan added, unconvincingly.  
"You can see the superior balance and Flexibility of the brand new and beautiful BlueFlame here-…" Professor McGonagall glared at him. "And, and! Katie's got the Quaffle! Malfoy's in the air again. Looks like Malfoy's seen something! The Snitch! HARRY, THE SNITCH! THE SNITCH!" Lee Jordan jumped up and down.   
Harry turned and saw Malfoy go upwards for the Snitch. He turned around and sped downwards. Malfoy seemed to be coming closer and closer to it…Harry pushed his body forward and willed his broom to go faster. He outstretched his hand and zoomed by, not registering anything. He felt a draft behind him and looks, Malfoy is staring in disbelief at his hand.   
Harry slumped down. "Malfoy's won." He said disconsolately. He looked at his tightly clenched fist, inside was- The Golden Snitch! Harry shot up in the air with his arm upraised! The Gryffindors were going wild.   
Harry made a low swoop of the Stands and even more cheering broke out. Fred and George thumped him on the back, Alicia and Katie grabbed kissed him and squealed. "WE BEAT SLYTHERIN!" Angelina, tearful, hugged him and Darrel came up and gave him a high five. "Nice catch, Harry!" Darrel said as Mira came up. "And not only about the Quidditch!" He smiled and walked off to hug Hermione.  
"Harry- YOU WON!" Mira screamed ecstatically and threw her arms around him. She gave him a kiss and let him go.  
"Harry you did it!" Ron punched his arm, Lavender murmured something. Hermione and Darrel came up. Hermione gave Harry a quick hug.  
"That was great, Harry! Wasn't Darrel good?" Hermione exhorted.  
"Excellent, I think!" Harry replied.  
"Quiet! Quiet everybody! I have an announcement." Lee Jordan had relinquished control of the magical megaphone to Albus Dumbledore. "Saturday we will be having the first EVER dance at Hogwarts. It will be a Costume Dance for the Year Four and aboves. Please choose what you want to go as and go to either Professors McGonagall and Black or come to me with your idea. We will then give you the correct spell and maybe even give you some interesting suggestions. That's all, continue on!"  
  
"Mira, would you like to be my partner for the dance on Saturday?"  
"Um…I don't know Harry- I mean…I hardly know you and all…and I really hate you…" She grinned widely. "DUH!" She squealed.  
"So, what do you want to go as?"  
"I was thinking along the lines of…Arabian Princess and brave Pirate?"  
"I'm right on those lines!"   
  
"Hermione…would ye- would ye like tae go to the bonny dance on Sat'rday with meself?"  
"I'd love to, Darrel…what shall we go as?"  
"I dunno…something Scottish might be fun!"  
"Yes…I'll be a Scottish nymph and you can be a tartanned Scotsman. You'll have to wear a kilt…!"  
"Are you crazy, Hermione?"   
  
"Ron-…about the dance on Saturday…would you like me to go with you?"  
"I've been working up the courage to ask, Lavender!" Ron sighed. "What d'ya want to go as?"  
"A brave knight and a fair princess might be nice..."  
"Sounds great!"  
  
The night of the dance, every girl and boy above Year 4 were repeating the spells Professors McGonagall and Black had given them. The girls re-applied their make-up and the boys splashed on more after-shave.   
Harry waited patiently outside the Ravenclaw Entrance. Mira stepped delicately out. Her feet were bound in silver-wire slippers as was her hair. She was wearing a purple cropped shirt with silver bell-tassels on the ends. She had on the traditional Arabian filmy, loose pants. She smiled.  
"Wow, Mira, you look beautiful."  
"You're not so bad, yourself. Yo ho ho and all that." She laughed. He looked pretty cool, with his black eye-patch and lightning scar. "Come on, Pirate Blue- I mean, Purplebeard." He was dressed in a deep black-purple to match with Mira. "Onward!" They walked slowly to the Great Hall.   
"Harry! Mira!" Hermione called. She was dressed in a loose flowing gown, rather like the Roman toga, only in light blue, with silver wavy lines running across it. "You look wonderful!"  
"Hermione, you're a Naiad!" Mira exclaimed.  
"Yah, a Scottish River Nymph. Like it? You have to check out Darrel, he's so adorable. Darrel!" Darrel appeared, flushing slightly. Mira's gaze travelled down to his Scottish kilt.  
"Hermione, I'll have ye know that no-one else could have made me wear this Scottish-skirt thing!" He shook his head miserably.  
"You look nice, Darrel. Don't let the boys get you down." Mira said sympathetically. "Hey, there's Ron and Lavender! Ron!" Ron smiled and led Lavender over.   
"Greetings, I am Knight Ronald and this is Fair Princess Lavender." Ron said with a straight face. "Like the costumes?"  
"They're very cool."  
"Yours are nice. I like yours too, Hermione. You're a water-Nymph, right?"  
"Yes. You look dashing as a knight, Ron." Hermione said, returning the compliment. "Hey, the music's started! Let's dance!"  
To the amazement of all, the Arabian Princess, the Pirate, the Scottish Water-nymph, the Scotsman, the knight and the fair Princess started to shake to rock and roll music.   
"Harry, look, it's Ginny." Mira said, after an hour or so had passed. Harry had told Mira everything about his life already. Harry turned and looked. Ginny was wearing a long silver dress and a halo floated above her head. She had come as an Angel! Her tearful eyes were fixed on Harry and Mira as they danced gently to a slow song.  
"I feel sort of bad…"  
"Well, maybe you should ask her out." Mira said softly.  
"What?" Harry's nostrils flared.  
"Get me some butterbeer. Let's go outside, we need to talk." Her face was deadly serious and etched out of stone. Harry poured two butterbeers into two mugs and hurried out after Mira. He followed her to the Quidditch field, where she sat heavily on a seat in the stands. Harry sank into the seat next to her and wordlessly passed the butterbeer.   
She took a heavy swig, put the mug down and said. "Harry, I'm leaving tomorrow."   
"What? Where are you going?"   
"Listen. Harry I'm…I'm not who you think I am!" She collapsed into tears. "You'll hate me…Harry. My name isn't Mira Carron Jacques. She's a person I invented. I live and breathe and walk Mira Carron Jacques but I'm not her. I can't lie to you any more. I…I am a creature. I am a depsychetor. I am quite like the dementors in nature." She stared straight ahead. "Only thing is…I suck out all emotion, not just happiness. That coldness you felt on the Quidditch field was me. I was weak. These…" She tore the bandages off her hands and showed the cuts to him.   
"I perform a ritual, like this." She took out a knife from her pocket and pressed in onto the old wounds. Harry winced, Mira grimaced. She let the blood drip onto the floor., and then pressed the wounds together and bent her head. She opened her hands and the bleeding had stopped. "To stop myself from needing human emotion to survive."   
"The stone you gave me was-…"   
"Those are all the emotions I have ever taken. I have no need for them later and I stored mine in a stone. The Psyche Stone. Harry, when I gave you that stone, I gave you my life. If you break it, I die…or crumble or cease to function or whatever you call it. La fin." She stopped to take a breath. "Harry, I not only need emotion but I can sense them…and control them, too."   
"Did you 'control' me?" Harry asked, his eyes hollow.   
"No! Harry please! Believe me, I didn't alter your emotions! I swear!" She started to sob even harder. "I haven't old you the worst yet-…" She sniffed. "I can perform the one thing deadlier than a Dementors' Kiss. My Kiss. I will suck out all your emotion permanently. Unlike sucking out the soul, with my kiss you still keep your memories. It is eternal torture, knowledge and memory of having emotion, without being able to feel it." Her head slumped forward.   
"I believe you…that you didn't control me, Mira." Harry lifted her head. "Look, why do you have to go?"   
"My urges have become too strong. I cannot alter emotion without sucking some out. Sirius Black is suspicious of me, so is Dumbledore. The Depsychetors' are after me too. To perform the Kiss. I have broken a vow to remain. I ran away because I had had enough of Azkaban…and because I knew I had to experience this emotion called love."   
"And did you?"   
"Yes." She said, looking away. "Harry, I have to go…maybe I'll meet you again sometime?"   
"Yes, Mira. We have to."   
"I'll try and send an Owl…okay?" Tears trickled down her face. "Goodbye, Harry Potter." She kissed him.   
At first Harry felt a coldness…and wondered if Mira was sucking his emotions out, then he felt a sudden warmth and happiness. A little like the sensation you get with butterbeer, but inside your mind.   
She released him and said. "Harry, whatever happens, in the darkest of times, I've left you a gift you can call to rely on. It's called Hope. Tell Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Black who I am, but no-one else. So..see you, Harry."   
"Goodbye Mira." He closed his eyes and sighed, and she was gone. 


End file.
